Use Caution to Protect Yourself from Wildfire Smoke

Laramie, Wy – The smoke from the state's wildfires can have some negative effects on people living a long ways away. It can irritate eyes, aggravate asthma and worsen the symptoms of heart disease. The state Health Department is urging people with respiratory problems to take precautions if they're downwind from the wildfiresin Converse, Sheridan and Crook counties. That includes keeping windows and doors closed, closing the fresh-air intake for your home air conditioner, and NOT vacuuming.Vacuuming can stir up smoke particles. Health officials also suggest listening to local air quality reports. And they say that children are more susceptible than adults to foul air.